


A Proposal

by Diviana



Series: A Social Contract [1]
Category: DCU
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 03:11:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7784404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diviana/pseuds/Diviana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick asks Jason on a date. Jason accepts. Neither happens for reasons you'd normally expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> I am on the West Coast, so I finished this just in time for Jason's birthday.

Downing his shot, Jason winced as the clear liquid burned on the way down. The harsh aftertaste clinging to the back of his throat. The glass joined its three colleagues on the wooden counter. Raising his arm to lazily call over the bartender, Jason skimmed the bar.

The narrow, rectangular place was skivvy. Two pool table lined the wall to Jason’s left surrounded by bulky men with something to prove. The scratches in the fading and chipped paint reinforced their brittle pride. The entire bar was that sort, men just right of criminal. The men either came to in shady business, to drown in pleasure, or to escape their lives.

The skinny guy to his left was the second type. The way his fingers tapped along the worn counter and how his hands shook when he picked up his drink told Jason more than enough about him. To his right, a shadow suddenly loomed over Jason. Reaching for his hostler, Jason readied himself for a fight.

“Hey,” the shadow greeted, a bright note in the grungy dive bar. 

Blinking, Jason released his gun. He glanced up at the older man. Dick waved, slipping onto the empty stool to Jason’s right. Amongst the crowd, Dick was a sore thumb with his clean cut face and bemused expression. A part of Jason made him want to knock the wide grin off of Dick’s face.

Jason scoffed, “Stalking me now are we Grayson?”

 _Dammit, where is my fucking drink?_ Jason thought, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Dick shook his head. His shoulders dropping as his eyes clouded over. A rare expression of annoyance streaked across his face. Jason raised his eyebrow. Dick’s lip curled in defensively.

Jason said, “Well, sit somewhere else then. You need to pay me if you’re going to invade my personal space.”

“How much time does a drink get?” Dick quipped, waving down the bartender. 

Jason retorted, “I'm not that cheap.”

“Fine, three of.” Dick paused, scanning the counter.

“Vodka.”

“Oh, a two shots for him and three for me then,” Dick corrected. 

Jason said, “Three off the bat. Is the golden boy drowning his sorrows?”

Dick shrugged.

The air filled with the rowdy noise of men mocking another, pool balls slamming into wood, and ice clanking against ice. Five glasses appeared in the space between Jason’s and Dick’s elbows. The bartender sloshed the liquid down and ran off just as quickly. Jason drank his shot in the same period that Dick called for a fourth. 

_I’ll bite the bullet_ , Jason decided, wondering if the heat lining his stomach was clouding his mind.

Jason muttered, “I know why I’m here, but why are you –“ 

Dick grunted, “Thinking of a way to fuck with Bruce.”

“That’s incestuous,” Jason laughed.

Dick blinked. His eyes widening in surprise. His sky colored eyes light up. Jason reflexively leaned away. His concern growing when he thought he saw Dick nodding to himself. Dick grabbed Jason’s arm.

Dick proposed, “Will you go on a date with me?”

“What?” Jason coughed.

“Bruce is holding a fundraising gala this tomorrow,” Dick explained.

“No, not about that. **Why?** ”

“Bruce crossed a line,” Dick growled.

Dick smiled. Until his earlier annoyingly bright grin, this was made Jason’s skin crawl. It took a moment for it to click. This smile was closed mouth and more of a smirk than a grin. It felt uncharacteristically expressionless of Dick.

“Hey,” Dick said, “Don’t you want to piss Bruce off?”

Encouraged by the liquid stupidity in his veins, Jason replied, “Why not.”

* * *

Checking his cellphone, Dick suppressed a laugh. He couldn’t give away his plan before it even began. Knowing his self-control, Dick stayed to the sidelines. In a room the side of a football field, avoiding people should be easy except his siblings aren’t normal. 

Escaping a conversation, Tim waved. He stepped between the throngs of well-dressed men and women. In a class black and white suit ensemble, Tim only stood out due to his small stature. Dick was an acrobat and had a matching figure yet somehow Tim was thinner than him.

 _He’s wearing lifts again_ , Dick realized as Tim stood beside him.

“Dick, I thought you weren’t going to show,” Tim commented.

In contrast to his flat expression, Tim’s voice hinted at his curiosity. Dick smiled pleasantly. Internally, he thanked Tim for giving an excuse to show his excitement. He took a calming breath, suppressing the urge to grin more broadly. Dick ordered, _Control yourself. Don’t make Tim suspicious._

Lowering his voice, Tim continued, “After that fight you had with Bruce, I thought this was the last place you’d be.”

Taking a moment to compose himself, Dick brushed his hair out of his face. His gaze flicked across the room to Bruce who stood flirting in the center of room. He swallowed his annoyance. 

Patting Tim’s arm, Dick replied, wryly, “Have to keep up appearances.”

Tim traced Dick’s line of sight and sighed, “I don’t know what happened, but thanks for showing up.”

“Of course he came,” Damian interrupted, sliding between Tim and Dick.

Tim remarked, “He made less of a deal of this than you.”

Damian vocalized, “Tch. Drake.”

“What?” Dick hummed.

“This,” Tim lowered his voice, “super-sized Robin wanted to go on patrol.”

Damian clarified, “The three of us did not have to be here.”

“It’d look bad if we weren’t all here,” Dick corrected.

 _It’s a family foundation after all_ , Dick mentally added.

Shifting over, Dick teased, “Anyway, those ladies look devastated that you left them.”

A set of women closer to Tim’s age than Damian’s gossiped amongst another as Dick looked at them. They wore slightly risqué dresses that hovered between formal and fun. The brands on their purses told Dick that they were well off.

“You can hardly call them ladies, Grayson,” Damian stated matter-of-factly.

Glancing up, Dick didn’t read any malice in Damian’s light viridian irises. Raising his eyebrow, Damian reminded Dick so strongly of Bruce that Dick diverted his gaze. Checking his phone again, Dick wondered he’d been ditched.

Tim advised, “Don’t let them hear that.”

“Do you have somewhere to go?” Damian questioned, ignoring Tim completely.

Dick bit down a chuckle at the glare Tim shot Damian. Shoving it back into his pocket, Dick shook his head. Tim redirected his attention to Dick.

Tim questioned, “Are you worried about your speech?”

Dick shrugged.

Damian said, “You will do fine.”

Dick pulled out his phone. The screen lit up with a message: _Be there in 15, stuck in traffic_. Grinning, Dick leaned on Damian.

“No, I thought my plus one was going to stand me up,” Dick said, biting down a chuckle, “but now that I know they’re coming I’m extra motivated.”

The lights in the room dimmed. A spotlight shined on the three Wayne boys. Dick waved sheepishly. Walking to the center, Dick received a mic. Inhaling deeply, Dick felt a burst of glee at Bruce’s potential reaction. All he had to withstand these next fifteen minutes.

“Welcome everyone and thank you for coming to support Wayne Foundation’s new venture. I don’t usually handle this side of the family business, but this cause is. . .” 

* * *

_Here_ , Jason sent the text and waited. Placing his cellphone in his pocket, Jason checked his reflection in the lobby’s windows. He flattened the wrinkles out of his dress shirt. Running his fingers through his hair, Jason questioned his choices. His mind wandered.

The sounds of footsteps echoing on the marble flooring drew Jason back to the present. Turning around, Jason faced Dick who tilted his head inquisitively. He invaded Jason’s personal space with a wide grin spreading from cheek to cheek.

“Little Wing, you clean up well,” Dick muttered.

Jason pressed his back against the window to regain some distance. Scanning Dick briefly, Jason could say the same of Dick. His shirt was a medium toned blue that complimented Dick’s eyes. His tie was cream-colored like his slacks. He wore neither a blazer nor a vest and his tie was knotted in a half-Windsor, but it fit Dick’s disposition well. The colors contrasted with Jason who wore black slacks and a charcoal dress shirt. His red jacket and tie were accents of color. Straightening up, Jason adjusted his tie.

Jason replied, “Don’t call me that.”

“Right,” Dick hummed, “what should I call you today?”

Jason smirked, “Ian Mason Batson at your pleasure.”

Dick blinked. Jason saw the gears of his mind whirling away. Covering his mouth, Dick chuckled. The lines of his face creased reflecting his amusement. Dick straightened out and reached up to tug on Jason’s jacket.

He laughed, “Is the jacket a pun too?”

Pulling his cotton, red hoodie out Dick’s grasp, Jason nodded.

Holding out his elbow, Dick invited, “Let’s give Bruce a show.”

“Shouldn’t you be holding on to me?” Jason remarked, grasping Dick lightly.

“We have the rest of the evening for that, Mason,” Dick teased.

The look of Drake’s face made the long ride up the elevator worth it. His face was twisted between horror and shock. Bruce and Damian had matching scowls weren’t as satisfying but they would have to do. Dick dragged him to the center of the room, placing his hand on his shoulder. Dick affectionately leaned into Jason, wrapping his arm around Jason’s waist.

Whispers spread through the crowd until a woman with a notepad stepped closer them. She politely smiled and offered her hand and name. From her manner, Jason assumed she was a magazine writer. 

Jason introduced himself, “I’m Ian Mason Batson, but most people call me Mason.”

“Hello, Mason,” she added, “Most people call me Julia.”

Angling her body, she said, gossipy, “I didn’t know that you swung both ways, Mr. Grayson.”

“Well, I don’t have a preference and Mason was rather convincing,” Dick replied, winking playfully.

“Mason,” Julia echoed, tilting her head, “Mason, you look familiar.”

“I think I’ve seen him in an ad somewhere,” Bruce suggested, entering the conversation.

Dick countered, “Nah, I think he looks like of the painting back at the Manor. You know the one of your s –“

Bruce’s brow twitched.

Dick finished, “second-cousin. Todd, I think his name was.”

Jokingly stepping away from Dick, Jason stage-whispered, “Are you using me, Dick? Do I look like your childhood crush...?” Jason paused and emphasized. “Wait, cousin?”

A smile dancing on his lips, Dick protested, “No, Maybird. Anyone with black hair, blue eyes, and is handsome looks like family. I honestly wonder if Bruce just clones himself sometimes.”

Jason peeked at Bruce’s face. The muscles tensed up as a forced look of amusement was his current mask. Jason laughed. It’s been awhile since he’d gotten under Bruce’s skin like this.

“So you have a family complex.”

Dick bantered, “No, it’d be way too weird date within family.”

The twitch of Bruce’s brow made the ridiculous idea worth it. _How much of Bruce’s perfect cover could he chip away?_ Jason held out his hand. Dick placed his atop. Jason moved it to his waist and promptly cupped Dick’s shoulder.

“True. I’d forgive you for using me anyway because . . .” Jason said loudly, brushing his nose along Dick’s cheek.

Jason let his words trail off suggestively. From the corner of his eye, Jason spotted Damian with his lip curled. His gaze bore into Jason. Damian’s posture and expression screamed both disgust and annoyance. Jason finished his thought, _because their expressions are priceless._

“I’ll make up for the inconvenience later tonight,” Dick teased.

Jason pressed his face into his shoulder to avoid snorting. The way the Tim coughed and choked at the innuendo made Jason write a mental note to continue being flirty the rest of the night. Dick wasn’t pulling his punches. Jason questioned, _What the hell did Bruce do? Even I never have been this deep into Dick’s bad side._ Throwing that thought away, Jason smirked. This evening was going to be fun.

* * *

Dick walked Jason to his motorcycle. The memory of Bruce’s conflicted expressions fresh in his mind. It was refreshing for once to get a rise of out the Dark Knight. The brisk night air caused Jason’s hood to partly cover his head.

Fixing it, Dick asked, “How was our first date?”

"First? Sounds like you're implying a second," Jason bantered.

"I'm a performer," Dick said, playfully, "and we're all about repeat performances."

A beat later, Dick pushed. "You didn't answer the question, Little Wing."

“I’m surprised. I almost believed the Boy Wonder didn't have a mean bone in his body,” Jason said, sounding proud.

He leaned onto his bike. Jason directed Dick with a jerk of his head. Following his line of sight, Dick noticed Damian and Tim watching from the second floor window. Neither made an attempt to hide their presence.

Without a doubt, a number of people crowded on the balcony. Dick waved. A handful had the sense to at least pretend to be embarrassed and turned away. The rest continued to watch.

Clearing his throat, Jason said, "Not gonna lie, Grayson, it wasn't half bad."

"I promised fun," Dick replied, turning to face the man.

Pointing the crowd with his eyes, Dick suggested, "Wait a bit before you leave. Give them something to talk about."

“You’re really milking this,” Jason commented.

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”

Jason quipped, “It’s almost good enough for a repeat performance.”

"Too bad. Am I at least good enough for an encore?" Dick chuckled.

Jason abruptly stood up, dragging Dick into an embrace. Clenching Jason’s jacket to regain his balance, Dick felt Jason’s cheek brush his. His hands cupped Dick’s face. His mouth was inches from Dick’s ears.

He whispered, “It looks like your plan worked. Turn around and act embarrassed.”

Jason released him. Covering his mouth, Dick turned to see Damian and Tim. Tim blinked several times slowly as if he couldn’t understand the scene in front of him. Damian’s eyes narrowed and shifted between Jason and Dick.

Adding fuel to the fire, Jason commented, “I can’t wait for the second date.”

“Your act isn’t fooling anyone,” Damian stated.

Jason retorted, “What act? You came down to save him from the big bad red hood didn’t you?”

“Tch. Give it up, Todd,” Damian ordered.

The way his jaw clenched made Dick think Damian wasn’t entirely convinced of his words. Tim pinched the bridge of his nose. His forehead creased forming a valley of conflicted emotions.

“You have to close the event, Dick,” Tim said, ignoring the situation.

“Oh, right.”

Dick waved at Jason before heading back indoors. His brothers flanked him as if shielding him from Jason. Dick questioned if his ears were betraying him, but Tim muttered under his breath: “Never piss Dick off.”


End file.
